We’re in Lonny! I am so honored and thrilled that Lonny is featuring one of my recent projects. I call it “The Royal Tenenbaums Meet Snappy Main Line Victorian” because I wanted this project to feel a little quirky, but still elegant and chic. See for yourself here.

This project is a great example of making the most out of what you are given. I’ve collaborated with the homeowners on several projects, but when they asked me to design their new house – an historic Victorian, quite frankly I was skeptical. This seemed like a major departure from their personal style and, admittedly, a step outside of my comfort zone. But I soon came to enjoy this project and recognize it as an opportunity to reinvent and reimagine the Victorian aesthetic.

I think historic Victorian homes by nature have a nuanced, somewhat idiosyncratic quality. Trying to bring too much structure and order would have proved an uphill battle. Recognizing and working with the architectural details and story of a home is so important to getting good results. Some things you just cannot fight, so why try?

In this case, I fully embraced all of those asymmetrical and oddly shaped rooms. I played up their uniqueness and treated them as assets. As a result I think this home feels reverential to its traditional, period interior architecture. That being said, I didn’t get bogged down in adhering to a style and dictate from the distant past. Every piece I chose has relevance and does not feel out of place in the 21st century. And, most importantly, the choices felt right for this client and their lifestyle.